Leucanthemum plant named ‘LEUZ0001’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Leucanthemum  plant named ‘LEUZ0001’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; strong and upright flowering stems; early and freely flowering habit; and large semi-double inflorescences with white-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Leucanthemum maximum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LEUZ0001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum plant, botanically known as Leucanthemum maximum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘LEUZ0001’.

The new Leucanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact semi-double Leucanthemum plants that flower early and for a long period of time without a vernalization requirement.

The new Leucanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor on Aug. 15, 2006 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Leucanthemum maximum identified as code number F2764-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Leucanthemum maximum identified as code number F2772-5, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Leucanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands on Jul. 16, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Leucanthemum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands since Sep. 17, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Leucanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Leucanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LEUZ0001’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LEUZ0001’ as a new and distinct Leucanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large semi-double inflorescences with white-colored ray         florets.

Plants of the new Leucanthemum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are more compact than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Leucanthemum have darker green-colored         leaves than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Leucanthemum have semi-double         inflorescences whereas plants of the female parent selection         have double inflorescences.

Plants of the new Leucanthemum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Leucanthemum have smaller inflorescences         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Leucanthemum have semi-double         inflorescences whereas plants of the male parent selection have         single inflorescences.

Plants of the new Leucanthemum can be compared to plants of Leucanthemum ‘LaCrosse’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Leucanthemum differ from plants of ‘LaCrosse’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Leucanthemum flower earlier than plants of         ‘LaCrosse’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Leucanthemum had broader         and longer ray florets than plants of ‘LaCrosse’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Leucanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Leucanthemum plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LEUZ0001’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘LEUZ0001’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in one-gallon containers during the winter in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Lancaster, Pa. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Leucanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° to 29° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were 20 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Leucanthemum maximum ‘LEUZ0001’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Leucanthemum maximum identified as code number F2764-1, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Leucanthemum maximum identified as code number F2772-5, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 16 days             at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 18 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance/growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,             upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous to             vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit with about 26             basal branches developing per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 14.8 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 25.3 cm.         -   Basal branch description.—Aspect: Upright. Strength: Strong.             Length: About 12.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode             length: Before flowering, about 8 mm; when flowering, about             1.7 cm. Texture: Pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color:             Close to 138B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple;             sessile. Length: About 6.8 cm to 8.5 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm             to 1.4 cm. Shape: Narrowly spatulate. Apex: Broadly acute.             Base: Attenuate; clasping. Margin: Dentate to serrate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             margins, sparsely pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate,             reticulate. Color: Developing leaves, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146B. Fully developed leaves, upper             surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to 146B. Fully             developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation,             close to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Semi-double inflorescence form with frilled ray             florets and tubular disc florets; inflorescences held             upright on strong peduncles; ray and disc florets develop             acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—None to slightly sour.         -   Flowering response.—Plants begin flowering about seven to             nine weeks after planting, no requirement for vernalization;             long flowering period, plants flower naturally from mid-June             until the autumn in Pennsylvania.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about ten to twelve days on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit, about 22             to 26 inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.8 cm. Disc diameter: About 2.4 cm. Receptacle             height: About 6 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 3.2 cm.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Flattened sphere. Height: About             1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 cm. Color: Close to 155A.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape:             Outer ray florets, oblong; inner ray florets, deeply incised             or curled over outer disc florets. Apex: Irregularly             emarginate, fringed. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety; longitudinally ridged. Number per inflorescence:             About 100 arranged in about four to five whorls. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, erect and elongated.             Apex: Acute. Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Number per inflorescence: About 440 massed at the center of             the receptacle. Color, when opening: Apex: Close to 11A.             Mid-section: Close to 15A. Base: Close to 145A. Color, fully             opened: Apex: Close to 12A. Mid-section: Close to 15C. Base:             Close to 145A.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 2 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             margins, membranous. Number per inflorescence: About 28             arranged in three to four whorls. Color, upper surface:             Close to 144D. Color, lower surface: Close to 138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright. Texture: Pubescent;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per floret: Five per disc floret. Filament             length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 145B. Anther             shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther color:             Close to 15A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             17B. Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Quantity             per floret: One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape:             Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 4A. Style length: About             3 mm. Style color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close to             145C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Leucanthemum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Leucanthemum have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Leucanthemum plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Leucanthemum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and     rain, to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5 and tolerant to AHS Heat     Zone 8-1. 

1. A new and distinct Leucanthemum plant named ‘LEUZ0001’ as illustrated and described. 